AFL preliminary final: Collingwood vs GWS Giants live at the MCG

Just as the Giants looked to have control, the Pies hit back and have hung on by the slimmest margin. Follow our live coverage.

The Magpies celebrate after the nailbiting victory over the Giants. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

It’s time for one of the great weekends of the AFL season, preliminary final weekend, and we had a classic first up on Friday night.

Collingwood had been among the premiership favourites all season long and expected by many to line-up in next week’s grand final.

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It couldn’t be more different for GWS, a team that was lagging in mediocrity halfway through the season before an incredible turnaround.

Confirming their place in the finals in the last weekend of the regular season, the Giants had been in sensational form for the past two months, knocking out St Kilda and Port Adelaide in road finals to storm into the final four.

In the end, Collingwood emerged victorious in an all-time nailbiter. This is how it all unfolded.

The Magpies celebrate after the nailbiting victory over the Giants. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Nick Daicos celebrates after Collingwood’s one point win. Photo: Michael Klein.

Toby Greene and the Giants try to deal with such a close defeat. Photo: Robert Cianflone/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

10.45pm AEST - Nick Daicos can’t hide his excitement

Nick Daicos might be a budding superstar and a Brownlow Medal favourite, but he’s also a 20-year-old kid.

Right after the match, his first since recovering from a knee injury, he was trying to comprehend the fact he would be playing in his first AFL grand final next week.

“Super exciting, very grateful. Can’t wait,” he said on Fox Footy.

“My knee felt really awesome from the opening bounce and got better as the game went along.

“We pride ourselves on a pressure game and so do the Giants.

“Can’t remember who it was, third quarter someone kicked a goal for us and it was the loudest roar I’ve ever heard at the MCG.”

Brody Mihocek (right) and Beau McCreery of the Magpies celebrate as Collingwood qualified for the grand final. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

10.25pm AEST - The Pies hold on in an all-time classic

Mason Cox’s goal pushed the score beyond a goal as the Pies tried to hang on.

Jesse Hogan responded for the Giants to cut the margin to one solitary point.

A staggering arm-wrestle then unfolded as neither team could gain clean possession.

But Collingwood did enough to lock the ball down and the crowd of 97,665 mostly home fans exploded at the final siren as the Pies make it through to the grand final.

The final score was 8.10 (58) to 8.9 (57) in a match that will be long remembered and comes after the Pies lost a preliminary final to the Swans by one point 12 months ago.

They will play either the Lions or old rival Carlton in that decider, with those two squaring off in Brisbane on Saturday afternoon.

Most nerve-wracking, 10 minutes of scoreless football you will ever see. #AFLFinals

— Ashley Browne (@hashbrowne) September 22, 2023

That final siren feeling 🖤🤍#AFLFinalspic.twitter.com/6MPHfW9wvl

— AFL (@AFL) September 22, 2023

10pm AEST - Was Cox asked to leave the ground?

Mason Cox kicked a huge goal to broke a deadlock with 15 minutes left on the clock.

Right after his kick a typical push and shove ensued that left Cox with a torn jumper.

According to commentator Brian Taylor, an umpire then told Cox he had to leave the ground for a jumper change.

It left the Pies without their key ruckman for the next centre bounce.

“Cox was told by the umpire to go and get a new jumper,” Taylor said.

“I don’t think the umpire has any right to remove the player because of a torn jumper.

“Never, ever heard of someone being removed from the ground because of a jumper problem.

“Amazing.”

Mason Cox of the Magpies leaves the ground with a torn jumper. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

9.45pm AEST - Social media erupts over GWS non-call

Just as the Giants appeared to have control of this match, and perhaps one foot in the grand final, Collingwood showed its class and hit back hard.

A run of five goals out of six allowed the Pies to get their noses back in front.

A tight contest was unfolding when Giants skipper Toby Greene was trying to get the ball inside 50 on the right wing.

Nick Daicos had other ideas, attempting to tackle Greene in an effort that slipped high as the GWS captain ducked.

It’s fair to say Giants fans on social media were not happy.

With Collingwood up by four points at the last change, we’re set for a thrilling finish.

Nothing to see here… #AFLPiesGiantspic.twitter.com/OjPxJcJ7Yt

— Watchability (@its_watchable) September 22, 2023

Toby Greene had his head ripped off. No free? 🤷🏽‍♀️ #AFLPiesGiants

— Jayde Mills (@jaydeskittle) September 22, 2023

Daicos rips Toby’s head off…play on.

No free. No mention by the commentary.

Absurd but also completely unsurprising.#AfL#AFLFinals#AFLPiesGiants@7Sport

— Tappy (@Snark_Tappy) September 22, 2023

Toby Greene doesn’t have a neck now #AFLPiesGiants

— Paul (@ShesApples23) September 22, 2023

Toby green just got his head ripped off and nothing #AFLPIESGIANTS

— Suddy (@marc014) September 22, 2023

9.20pm AEST - Irresistible Orange Tsunami takes control

The Pies kicked the only two goals of the opening term.

Halfway through the third quarter, they are still stuck on those two goals as the Giants strangle the life out of them and the massive crowd.

Talk of close to 100,000 fans being in the house, mostly Collingwood fans, has mattered little to the Giants who have kicked five straight goals to break open a 17-point lead.

After what felt like an eternity, ex-Giant Bobby Hill finally broke the drought with a goal as the Collingwood faithful erupted.

Four goals to one for the home side drew scores level late in the term.

Collingwood looking cooked 😍#AFLPiesGiants

— Shay (@Shay_mie95) September 22, 2023

8.35pm AEST - Nerves cast aside as Giants hit back hard

The Giants were struggling mightily to settle over the first quarter and a half.

“There’s definitely nerves there and you can’t sort of blame him can you in this hostile environment he’s in,” Matthew Richardson said in commentary as Callum Brown sprayed his second set shot and the Giants remained without a goal.

Callum M. Brown and his teammates were wayward kicking for goal early. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

But that man Toby Greene settled the nerves, kicking the first of three straight GWS goals as the visitors found their way in front.

“They are dominating this quarter,” James Brayshaw said. “They are starting to roll.

“All week we heard they weren’t going to be fazed at the MCG. Easy to say, harder to execute and that’s what they’re doing.

“The question was also going to be whether the Pies could hold the Orange Tsunami.”

Late in the first half the Giants had opened a two-goal lead.

Eddie McGuire and Toby Greene

8pm AEST - Pies grab the lead with two quick goals

The Magpies are putting “absolutely unbelievable” pressure on GWS as they start the game off to a flyer.

Daniel McStay kicked the opener to put the Pies early and that was quickly followed by Jack Crisp who kicked a second.

By the end of a pulsating term, Collingwood had those two goals on the board to only three behinds from the Giants.

7.30pm AEST - Eddie McGuire’s stinging words for the Collingwood faithful

There’s a guy on X, formerly Twitter, who calls himself Swoop Luke and he is a mad Collingwood fan.

He states he is a content creator and he got his hands on some impressive content in the lead-up to Friday night’s game.

Luke managed to get an interview with former Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and this was his message to the fans, who will dwarf Giants fans at the MCG.

“This is the challenge I’m going to put out to all Collingwood supporters,” McGuire says.

“If they (GWS) get off to a start or they’re a bit in front, I don’t want anyone sitting there looking glum, right?

‘this’ll scare the SHIT out of them’ - eddie’s challenge for the magpie army
—
my challenge to you: drown out the gws theme song with the loudest collingwood chant the footballing world has ever heard pic.twitter.com/I2iQszdSdV

— Swoop Luke (@SwoopLuke) September 22, 2023

“We’ve got to be into them from start to finish, we’ve got to support the boys, doesn’t mater what happens.

“When the ball goes back to centre I don’t want people sitting there looking at each other.

“The 15 seconds before the bounce and they go again, we’ve got to get the roar going.

“This will scare the s**t out of them. They’re used to playing in front of friends and family.

“Absolutely just assault them. It’s one thing carrying on when we kick a goal. We’ve got to get it right when they kick one.”

Nick Daicos, seen here at the MCG ahead of Friday night’s match, will surely get the attention of the GWS Giants on his return from injury. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

7.15pm AEST - The Pies get a huge inclusion, but is he fit?

During Collingwood’s march to the top of the AFL ladder, Nick Daicos was its best player.

But a fractured knee in round 21 threw a hefty spanner in the Magpies’ works.

He has made it back for this match, but coach Craig McRae seemed to intimate he’s not completely ready for the heat of battle, at least to start off with.

Asked if he will start onball on Fox Footy, McRae replied: “Ah, no.

“He’ll start on the bench and then we’ll use him where we think we need him.

“He hasn’t played for six or seven weeks and the first six or seven minutes of most finals is pretty hectic.

“Let the sting go out of it and then get him involved.”

It’s fair to say the Giants will be targeting him whenever he does get on the field.